Razer KAIRA review: must-have or just another gaming headphone?

Razer has classic gaming headphones that have been produced for the last five years and are not going to stop. They have long been a classic among console gamers but are little known in Ukraine. I’m talking about Razer KAIRA, which is available in versions for Xbox, PlayStation, and PC. Of course, it’s not a perfect model, but it definitely deserves more attention than it currently receives.

Technical specifications of the Razer KAIRA

Connection type	Wireless
Construction	Closed
Case materials	Plastic
Speaker diameter	50 mm
Impedance	32 ohms
Frequency range	20 – 20,000 Hz
Headphone sensitivity	108 dB
Frequency range of the microphone	100 – 10000 Hz
Connection	Bluetooth
Interface	USB Type-C
Battery life	Up to 15 hours
Dimensions	201×184×81 mm
Weight	290 grams

Packaging and equipment

Razer KAIRA comes in a box in the brand’s signature black and green colors with the headset’s pattern. Inside are the headphones, a nylon braided USB-C cable with caps, stickers, and documentation.

Razer KAIRA design and ergonomics

The Razer KAIRA has an all-plastic matte body, an ascetic design without backlighting, a non-removable microphone, and oval cups. It is a classic full-size closed headphone. The model weighs 321 grams.

Of course, this is not small, but at the same time, the headset does not feel large or heavy on the head. Moreover, my eight-year-old son often played with the headphones, and even he did not feel heavy or uncomfortable during long gaming sessions.

On the outer part of the headband, we can see the engraved RAZER inscription.

On the inside, there is a soft part of breathable fabric recessed into the headband. Inside is memory foam.

The oval cups are retractable and swivel.

On their outer part, in the middle, there is a brand logo with snakes. The headphone controls are divided between two cups.

The ear cushions in the Razer KAIRA are removable, and underneath them is the same memory foam as in the headband.

Although gaming headphones do not belong to the top segment, which is evident from the price and all-plastic case, they are still made of high-quality and good materials. The headband bends a lot without any negative consequences, but the swivel mechanisms of the cups are already a bit loose, so in the future it is possible that this will become even more noticeable.

The Razer KAIRA fit comfortably on the head and is comfortable to wear for a long time. The universal full-size design allows them to be worn not only by adults, but also by children and teenagers. They also won’t put too much pressure on your head if it’s not big, like mine. The headphones have good passive noise cancellation, but at the same time they don’t put too much pressure on your head.

Fabric ear pads, in my opinion, are the best solution in any model. Because in the summer, they make your ears sweat much less, and it doesn’t affect the noise reduction much.

We reviewed the white version of the headphones with black elements, and there is also a black version with green elements.

Features, sound, and microphone of the Razer KAIRA

Razer KAIRA has 50 mm Razer TriForce dynamic drivers with titanium diaphragm coating and neodymium magnets. The sound reproduction range is from 20 Hz to 20 kHz. The impedance is 32 Ohms, and the headphone sensitivity is 108 dB. The frequency range of the microphone is 100-10000 Hz.

The gaming headset has pronounced rich bass and a powerful midrange. I would call this the most classic sound of a gaming headset, and by this I do not mean anything negative at all. On the contrary. At the same time, high frequencies are also in place, but they are the least. The headphones have good detail in sound and enemy positioning in shooters.

They are a great option for games and gamers, and they are also suitable for watching multimedia without any problems, but I would not recommend them for music. However, this applies to most other gaming headsets, and this one is no exception.

Audiophiles will definitely not like the very amplified bass and twisted midrange, which distorts the tracks when listening to music. However, it may be a suitable option for certain genres, where all attention is focused on bass. That’s why we can’t call this model universal and suitable for everything.

The microphone of the model is good, and most importantly, it is unidirectional, which means that the environment is almost inaudible. It’s a little quiet, but it hardly distorts the voice, transmits it clearly and without excessive noise. It seems that the voice also passes through a certain noise-absorbing filter, with some effect superimposed on it, which definitely benefits it.

But it’s a pity that the microphone is not removable, and this will be a fair disadvantage for some. But it’s good that the boom is not too long and flexible, and the microphone itself has a foam pop filter.

Connection, software, and control

Razer KAIRA for Xbox connects wirelessly to Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X, and PC. However, for the latter option, you need to buy a separate USB dongle. The headphones connect quickly to the console, but do not work with smartphones or other devices.

The first connection takes place in a matter of seconds. Just hold down the corresponding button on the right cup, and then press the same button on the console. After that, you just need to turn on the headphones with the Xbox running and they will automatically connect. Accordingly, there is no separate software required in this case. Well, except for the basic application in the Microsoft console for setting up profiles.

The PlayStation version of Razer KAIRA has more features. These headphones have classic Bluetooth, so they can be connected to PCs, smartphones, or tablets without any restrictions, and they also come with a special receiver for connecting to the console. This version of the headphones also works with the Razer Audio smartphone app.

As you can see, the Razer KAIRA for Xbox is controlled exclusively by the buttons on its body, and it’s easy and convenient. All of them are different in shape and pressing options, so after the first tests, you don’t get confused anymore. I would also like to mention the wheel that controls the volume of your friends’ voices in a group or in a chat and game. This is a very cool feature that all gaming headphones should have without exception.

Razer KAIRA autonomous operation

I couldn’t find information about the headset’s battery capacity anywhere. The claimed battery life is up to 30 hours. Testing has shown that this is true, and if you keep the volume mostly below 50%, you can logically get more. This was the case when I tested the headphones for listening to music and mostly listened to it in the background at low volume.

Of course, at 80% or more volume, the headphones will die faster than 30 hours, because usually the declared battery life is calculated at 50% volume. But the headset is loud enough that 80% was often too much for me, especially in shooters and action games.

User experience

Razer KAIRA makes a pleasant impression when used. Someone will definitely not like the fact that they are completely plastic without a metal base, but this is a common situation in the segment. I like their simple design without RGB backlighting, but at the same time, the manufacturer shows that this is a gaming model through its logos and non-removable microphone. And that’s something that won’t work for some people.

The gaming headset has a bright, rich sound, which is very cool in games. The positioning of enemies, shots, explosions, engine noise, and background music — all of this sounds three-dimensional, with bass, and just right for gaming.

The headphones are also suitable for movies and TV shows, but as I said above, I wouldn’t recommend listening to music in them, especially if you are very responsible about it. These are purely gaming headphones, and they are not trying to be a universal model for everything.

I also liked the way the microphone transmits voice. Of course, it won’t be enough for streaming, but if you’re just starting out, it’s fine. Also, the voice quality is more than enough to communicate with other players on the team.

I’d also like to mention an additional knob that adjusts the voice volume in the game. This is a cool thing if you often play multiplayer or cooperative games and need to quickly adjust the volume of the game and the voices of your teammates separately.

Of course, all this can often be done in the game menu, but it’s much easier to do it quickly on headphones, especially since the situation can change often, someone has a louder microphone, another has a quieter one, somewhere you need to hear the game better, etc.

You can sit in Razer KAIRA for hours, and it doesn’t cause any discomfort at all. Right out of the box, they don’t put too much pressure on your head, and the fabric ear cushions allow your ears to breathe. The weight is also relatively normal, as is the size. That’s why I played in them for hours and worked a whole working day, my ears didn’t hurt, and neither did my head.

Of course, the sounds of the environment are not completely cut off in this case, and the ear cushions are not made of eco-leather. But it’s definitely enough if you’re not sitting somewhere on the street or in a place where there are many people. For home use, they can easily cope with some basic things in the background.

Users will definitely have questions about the limited connectivity of the Xbox version, but I think it’s okay. Because if a person buys headphones to play a game on a console and sees what they can and cannot do, it’s their choice, they need to do it that way. If you need to connect to a PC, smartphone, or PS5, there is another version. Therefore, in general, Razer KAIRA covers all available connection options, you just need to choose the version you need.

Price and competitors

Razer KAIRA is sold at a price starting from 3825 UAH. It’s definitely not a budget segment, but it’s not a top segment either, but some may have questions about the price. We have a middle category, although for the manufacturer these are simple headphones of the «entry-level» segment. In this and related categories, the headset has many well-known competitors that are worth paying attention to.

Є Razer BARRACUDA X with a price tag of 3750 hryvnias, if you want something from this brand, but much more versatile and with a removable microphone. There are also SteelSeries Arctis 1 Wireless (price from UAH 3999), Hator Hypergang 3 USB (price from 2450 UAH), Hator Phoenix 2 Wireless with a price tag of UAH 3620 and Hator Hyperpunk 3 Wireless (price from UAH 2389). Pay attention to Logitech G435 (price from UAH 1820), Lenovo Legion H600 (price from 3400 UAH), and if you need something more or less stylish, but affordable, there are much more affordable A4Tech Bloody GR280 (price from UAH 1387).